In the invention, a method for using a dynamic virtual
articulator for simulating
occlusion during a change in the initial position of the lower jaw or fragments thereof, and for modeling the position of the teeth in relation to one another and the position and shape of false teeth is described, said method being carried out with a computer. The method includes the following steps: providing a virtual
articulator comprising a virtual three-dimensional model of the upper jaw and
dental arch and a virtual three-dimensional model of the lower jaw and
dental arch, resembling the upper jaw and
upper teeth and the lower jaw and lower teeth, respectively, of the patient; and providing simulated movements of the virtual upper jaw and the virtual lower jaw in relation to one another for simulating dynamic
occlusion, during which penetrating and non-penetrating contact may occur between teeth in the virtual upper and virtual lower jaw. Providing the virtual
articulator further includes providing virtual three-dimensional models of the temporomandibular joints, resembling the heads of the lower jaw, the mandibular fossae, and the articular tubercles of the temporal bones, and carrying out simulated movements of the jaws in relation to one another is preceded by clinically or virtually setting initial and final positions. Furthermore, the virtual surfaces of the heads of the lower jaw and the virtual surfaces of the articular tubercles and the mandibular fossae of the temporal bones of the patient are disengaged. Also, a non-volatile
machine-readable medium is described with a stored code containing instructions which, when executed, allow the proposed method to be carried out. The group of inventions makes it possible to provide a virtual articulator that simulates as closely as possible the actual processes occurring in the patient's mouth.